Ham

ham

2. A cut of meat from the thigh of a hog, often cured by salting or smoking.

3. The back of the knee.

4. The back of the thigh.

5. hams The buttocks.

6. A performer who overacts or exaggerates.

7. A licensed amateur radio operator.

v.hammed, ham·ming, hams

v.intr.

To exaggerate or overdo a dramatic role; overact.

v.tr.

To exaggerate or overdo (a dramatic role, for example).

Idiom:

ham it up

To act or perform in an exaggerated, often intentionally broadly humorous or ridiculous style.

[Middle English hamme, from Old English hamm. Noun, sense 6, from obsolete slang hamfatter, a poor or amateurish actor, from the song "The Ham-Fat Man" (1863), considered typical of minstrel shows and their low standards of performance and depicting a stereotyped vision of slave life in the American South (including a slave who likes gravy made from ham fat). Noun, sense 7, short for ham operator, originally applied in the 1800s to telegraphers with poor skills, from ham-fisted and ham-handed.]

ham

(hæm)

n

1. (Zoology) the part of the hindquarters of a pig or similar animal between the hock and the hip

2. (Cookery) the meat of this part, esp when salted or smoked

3. (Anatomy) informal

a. the back of the leg above the knee

b. the space or area behind the knee

4. (Crafts) needlework a cushion used for moulding curves

[Old English hamm; related to Old High German hamma haunch, Old Irish cnāim bone, camm bent, Latin camur bent]

ham

(hæm)

n

1. (Theatre) theatreinformal

a. an actor who overacts or relies on stock gestures or mannerisms

b. overacting or clumsy acting

c. (as modifier): a ham actor.

2. (Telecommunications) informal

a. a licensed amateur radio operator

b. (as modifier): a ham licence.

vb, hams, hammingorhammed

informal to overact

[C19: special use of ham1; in some senses probably influenced by amateur]

ham1

(hæm)

n.

1. a cut of meat from a hog's hind quarter, between hip and hock; thigh.

2. that part of a hog's hind leg.

3. the part of the human leg behind the knee.

4. Often, hams. the back of the thigh, or the thigh and the buttock together.

[before 1000; Middle English hamme, Old English hamm bend of the knee, c. Middle Dutch, Middle Low German hamme, Old High German hamma]

ham2

(hæm)

n., v. hammed, ham•ming.n.

1. an actor or performer who overacts.

2. an operator of an amateur radio station.

v.i., v.t.

3. to act with exaggerated expression of emotion; overact.

Idioms:

ham it up, to overact; ham.

[1880–85]

Ham

(hæm)

n.

the second son of Noah, Gen. 10:1.

ham

, hamstring - Originally, the part of the leg behind the knee was called the ham, and then the tendon near the ham was the hamstring; by extension, the ham became the thigh and buttock together.

And then there were apple pies, and peach pies, and pumpkin pies; besides slices of ham and smoked beef; and moreover delectable dishes of preserved plums, and peaches, and pears, and quinces; not to mention broiled shad and roasted chickens; together with bowls of milk and cream, all mingled higgledy- pigglely, pretty much as I have enumerated them, with the motherly teapot sending up its clouds of vapor from the midst-- Heaven bless the mark

She fetched crockery -- new, and plenty of it; new wooden goblets and other table furniture; and beer, fish, chicken, a goose, eggs, roast beef, roast mutton, a ham, a small roast pig, and a wealth of genuine white wheaten bread.

A farm smokehouse had to be kept heavily padlocked, or even the colored deacon himself could not resist a ham when Providence showed him in a dream, or otherwise, where such a thing hung lonesome, and longed for someone to love.

If the lineal descendants of Ham are alone to be scriptur- ally enslaved, it is certain that slavery at the south must soon become unscriptural; for thousands are ushered into the world, annually, who, like myself, owe their existence to white fathers, and those fa- thers most frequently their own masters.

He was a blessing to all the juvenile part of the neighbourhood, for in summer he was for ever forming parties to eat cold ham and chicken out of doors, and in winter his private balls were numerous enough for any young lady who was not suffering under the unsatiable appetite of fifteen.

All content on this website, including dictionary, thesaurus, literature, geography, and other reference data is for informational purposes only. This information should not be considered complete, up to date, and is not intended to be used in place of a visit, consultation, or advice of a legal, medical, or any other professional.